1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved mount, and more particularly to a portable quadropod mount of relatively light-weight construction and of a compact configuration particularly suited for use in supporting instrument packages and the like in a rigidly stabilized condition. 2. Description of the Prior Art
Mounts which fold into stowed configurations for facilitating a transporting thereof, such as tripods for cameras and the like, have been in use for many years. However, such devices are necessarily relatively bulky and heavy, particularly if great stability is required, or if an instrument package to be supported thereby is relatively heavy. The bulk and weight of such devices result from the fact that the weight of a package of an excessive mass tends to impose excessive bending stresses on the legs and/or other members of the mount. While it has been suggested that stresses in the legs may be reduced by bringing the legs closer together, the necessary consequence of such a solution is a reduction in the relative stability of the mount.
The difficulties in achieving stability without attendant unreasonable weight and bulk characteristics are particularly severe in cases where the mount is to be employed in supporting portable astronomical telescopes of the larger sizes, which as a matter of fact, may weigh several hundred pounds and yet require extreme stability because of the magnification of the telescope.
The problems of providing a suitable mount for such instruments are further complicated by the fact that such mounts often must be set up in darkness and, often, on an uneven support surface. Furthermore, it is highly desirable that such mounts be of light weight construction and convenient to carry since frequently they must be transported considerable distances up mountain trails and the like. All of these problems are even further complicated by the desirability of adapting the mount to fold into a configuration suitable for stowage in the trunk of an automobile or the like. Finally, it is essential that any such mount be sufficiently rugged to withstand rough treatment by those who are primarily interested in protecting the instrument to be mounted rather than in caring for the mount itself.